


Coffee Shop Confessions

by BeccaAnne814



Series: Steve Rogers x Reader Series [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:33:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21658459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaAnne814/pseuds/BeccaAnne814
Summary: After suddenly losing your job, you visit the same coffee shop everyday to use the free WiFi to job hunt.  It also doesn’t hurt that the most beautiful—and mysterious—man seemed to visit everyday as well.  Getting up the nerve to finally speak to him could very well be the best decision of her life.
Relationships: Steve Rogers x Reader
Series: Steve Rogers x Reader Series [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/774303
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	Coffee Shop Confessions

**Steve Rogers x Reader**

**Summary** – After suddenly losing your job, you visit the same coffee shop everyday to use the free WiFi to job hunt. It also doesn’t hurt that the most beautiful—and mysterious—man seemed to visit everyday as well. Getting up the nerve to finally speak to him could very well be the best decision of her life.

**Warnings** – Fluff. . .probably a curse word or two

**Word Count** – 15K

**Notes **\- Parts 1 - 14 of 14

** _**Updated December 3, 2019**_ **

_ ** [Masterlist](https://beccaanne814.tumblr.com/post/174989754188/masterlist) ** _

[[MORE]]

"Fired?" YN asked as her entire world started crashing down around her. "I'm being fired?"

Her boss looked extremely uncomfortable and with a grimace, reached over and awkwardly patted her shoulder. "You're not being fired, YN—you're being laid off. There's a difference."

Over the past two months, YN had learned one thing—there wasn't really a difference. Losing your job—no matter how it came about—still meant that you had no reliable income or health insurance. Thankfully, she'd been able to qualify for unemployment benefits, but the hoops she had to jump through each week to get a measly check that was only a fraction of her former salary almost wasn't worth it. She had a decent savings account, so she'd been able to pay her rent and utilities while she'd been unemployed, but that wouldn't last forever. She needed to find a new job—and fast.

Since she'd been "let go," she'd started going to the local coffee shop to do her job searching. In an effort to preserve as much of her savings as she could, she'd turned off the cable and internet, so not only did she get her caffeine fix for the day, she also got to use their free WiFi.

She'd suspected that the staff had caught on to her habit, but since she'd gotten to know them all by name—and they knew her coffee order by heart—no one really said a word to her about spending hours at the tiny table in the corner. She could have gone to a dozen different coffee shops throughout the week so as not to seem like a loiterer, but she preferred this one. The coffee was decent, but that wasn't the main reason why she came back to the same shop every day.

He was.

All she knew about him was that he liked his coffee black with two sugars, he always wore dark sunglasses and a plain ball cap, and his name was Steve. She wasn't sure why she was so enamored with the beautiful stranger, but something about him had captivated her from the moment she'd laid eyes on him. She promised herself every day that today would be the day she'd finally say hello to him, but every single day she let him walk right past her without uttering a word.

Today was no different from any other day she'd sat in the coffee shop. She'd arrived just after the morning rush and set up her laptop while one of the baristas made her usual coffee. Just before noon, Steve would come in, and just like her, the staff knew his order by heart and immediately made it before he had a chance to ask. 

She watched him from beneath her lashes as she pretended to be engrossed in the application she was currently trying to fill out. Today was a blue day—blue jacket, blue jeans, and blue hat. Yesterday had been a black day—not that she was keeping track or anything.

When her mail app pinged with an incoming message, the sudden noise startled her, and she accidentally knocked over her coffee. Swearing, she grabbed a handful of napkins from the dispenser on the table and furiously began mopping up the dark brew before it reached her laptop and fried the circuit board.

"Here, let me help."

She was too worried about the mess she'd made to pay attention to who had spoken, but was thankful that someone had come to help her. Together they cleaned up the spill, and YN let out a deep breath when she was sure that a disaster had been averted.

"Thank you," she said, finally looking up. She'd been expecting one of the employees, so when she saw it was the mysterious Steve who'd come to help, her eyes grew wide with shock.

A warm smile tipped the corners of his lips as he looked down at her. "You're welcome. It didn't get on your computer, did it?"

Unable to put two words together, she mutely shook her head. Now that she was face to face with him, she realized that she'd never seen his eyes before. In his rush to help her, he must have taken off his sunglasses and now she was staring into the most beautiful set of blue eyes she'd ever seen. There was a hint of green beneath the blue that made her think of the lake she'd visited once with her family when she'd been a child. 

Not at all bothered by her lack of a spoken answer, he continued to smile as he glanced at her laptop screen. "Job hunting?"

"Huh?" she asked, confused for a moment at how he'd known. Following his gaze, she looked at the open page on the screen and felt a rush of embarrassment. 

"What do you do?" he asked.

Realizing that she would eventually have to speak, she swallowed hard and steeled her nerves. "I'm a computer analyst—or at least I was. I was laid off a few months ago."

"Computers, huh?" he asked as he scratched the back of his neck and gave her a pained look. "I'm still trying to figure those out."

She narrowed her eyes in confusion. He looked to be around her age, but his comment sounded like something her grandfather might say. It wasn't until he took his hat off and ran his fingers through the thick blond hair that it all finally clicked into place. He wasn't just sexy Steve—a nickname she only called him in her mind—he was Steve Rogers. The Steve Rogers. Captain America Steve Rogers.

He saw recognition click in her eyes and gave her a sad smile. He'd seen her at the coffee shop everyday for the past few weeks and had wanted to talk to her, but he'd been wary. It wasn't easy for him to make new friends, and it was looking like it wouldn't be happening again today.

"I could teach you," she blurted out. 

He'd just been about to walk away when she spoke. Looking at her in shock, he realized that she seemed just as surprised at what she'd said as he was.

"Teach me about computers?" he asked, wanting to be sure that he understood her correctly.

All too late, she realized how stupid she sounded. He was an Avenger—he lived and worked with Tony Stark. What could she possibly show him that the world's most talented technological mind couldn't?

"It was a stupid idea," she said hanging her head in shame. "I'm sure Mr. Stark could teach you anything you wanted to know."

"You'd be surprised," Steve said as he rolled his eyes with a laugh. "He barely finds time to sleep these days, let alone show a hundred year old man how to check his email. If you're serious about the offer, I'd love to take you up on it."

She looked back up at him—scared that he was making fun of her, but his expression was one of hope, not malice. "I'm not busy right now."

With a smile that could stop a woman's heart, he grabbed the other chair at the table and pulled it around so he could sit next to her. "Okay. Pretend I'm three and I've never seen a computer before."

She laughed in spite of herself. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but most three year olds are better with computers than I am."

"That's great. . .just great," he muttered as he ran a hand down his face. 

She laid a comforting hand on his arm. "It's fine—you'll get the hang of it eventually."

Their daily technology lessons at the coffee shop soon moved to Avengers Tower, and then somehow morphed into dinner without either of realizing what had happened. Within two months, she was working for Stark Industries in a position that paid almost double what she'd been earning at her former job. Not only did she have a new job, but she'd somehow gotten a superhero boyfriend in the deal as well. Turns out getting laid off was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

She'd spent most of the day thinking that Steve had forgotten. He'd been so busy the past few week with one mission right after the other. She hadn't had the heart to remind him that it was technically their one year anniversary, or at the least it had been one year ago that he'd helped her clean up her spilled coffee and they'd finally gotten a chance to speak to one another.

The past year had been like a dream for YN. What had started out as the worst possible situation she'd ever faced had morphed into a life she'd never imaged she'd ever have. Meeting Steve and Tony had completely changed her life, and she was so grateful to have the best boyfriend, and the best boss, that she was willing to forgive Steve's minor slip-up. It wasn't as though he'd forgotten her birthday after all.

When he'd suggested they spend the day at the art museum, she'd been all too willing to go. The demands on his time were too great for her to deny herself the opportunity to be with him in any way that she could. The museum wouldn't have been her first choice, but looking at the same paintings that he'd seen almost a hundred years ago as a skinny kid from Brooklyn helped him to forget all the pain and suffering that he'd gone through since he'd taken on the mantle of Captain America. 

As they walked through the marble halls, she could see the stress melting off of him and a smile spread across her face. Steve never asked for much—although the world never seemed to share the same sentiment—and if something as simple as looking at a Renoir could bring him a little peace, she was all too willing to oblige his request.

Walking back to the Tower with her fingers tightly laced with his, she couldn't imagine a more perfect day. There may not have been flowers, or even a card, but having Steve in her life was better than any of the cheap clichés that usually came along with anniversaries. So engrossed in the feeling of just being around him, she failed to notice the slight detour he took until he stopped in front of a familiar store front.

Looking up at the sign, she felt the tears start to well up. "Need a little pick-me-up?"

"It's been a while since we've been here," he said with an unreadable smile on his face. 

He held open the door to the coffee shop they'd met in a year ago that day, and a part of her wondered if he had remembered all along, or if something that day had triggered his memory. The table they'd always sat at was empty, so he suggested she go over and have a seat while he ordered their drinks.

Sitting in the familiar chair brought back memories that she'd almost forgotten. The hours that they'd spent there sipping coffee while she taught him the basics of email and social media were ones that she knew she'd cherish for the rest of her life.

When he sat the coffee down in front of her, the smell of the specialty brew had her laughing out loud. "Pumpkin Spice Latte? A bit cliché don't you think?"

"They're a tradition for a reason, right?" he asked as he took a seat across from her and gave her a lopsided smile. "Traditions mean something, you know."

His words had her brow furrowing in confusion. A part of her wanted to just blurt out the question that had been haunting her all day. Did he remember it was their anniversary or not? Deciding to hold her tongue, she looked down at the coffee cup in front of her. At first she wasn't sure if she was imagining things, but the longer she stared at the design drawn into the foam, the more convinced she was that she wasn't delusional. Someone had drawn the image of a diamond ring into her latte.

Looking up to ask Steve what was going on, she was surprised to find him right beside her on one knee. At once she knew exactly what he was doing, and her hands flew to her mouth to stifle her gasp of surprise.

"YN," he said as held open a small black jewelers box. "Meeting you in this coffee shop last year was the best moment of my life. The past year that we've spent together has brought me more happiness that I can ever express with mere words alone. Before I met you, there was a hole in my life that I tried to fill with work and friendships, but deep down I knew that love—true love—would be the only cure for the emptiness I felt every single day since I've been back. You are the love of my life and I never want to spend another day without you. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Her throat had begun to close up from the moment he'd spoken her name, and the more he spoke, the harder it was for her to contain the tears of happiness that were threatening to spill from her eyes. Knowing he needed an answer, she began to nod her head as she held out her left hand. As he slipped the ring onto her finger, the crowd around them began to applaud and cheer.

Framing his face in her hands, she leaned over and kissed him. As she pulled away, she whispered one word—the only word he needed to hear. "Yes."

"I need your help," Steve said as he dropped his head.

Bucky's eyebrows furrowed. Steve rarely asked for help. He preferred to dive headfirst into danger without any forethought—or backup. For Steve to admit that there was something he couldn't tackle on his own was monumental feat.

"You know I'm with you till the end of the line, pal."

Steve's gaze lifted and a smile tipped the corners of his lips upon hearing the familiar phrase uttered by his oldest and dearest friend. He was embarrassed to come to Buck with this request, but the stakes were pretty high and he couldn't afford to screw this up.

"Let's just hope you still feel the same way once I ask the favor."

Now Bucky was even more curious than before. What could Steve possibly ask Bucky to do that he would ever consider denying?

He soon found out.

Bucky wasn't sure why he'd agreed to do it. This was the most awkward situation he'd ever been in his life, but Steve was his best friend. Steve was the guy that crossed enemy lines to rescue him from the clutches of HYDRA, and for that, Bucky owed him.

"No, no," Bucky admonished with a shake of his head. "You lead with your left foot and then you're just making a box." Bucky took a step away from Steve and turned his back to him. "Watch how I do it."

Steve paid careful attention to the steps Bucky was taking and slowly began to imitate them. "I'm not sure I can do this."

Bucky turned back around and held out his arms. "You jump out of planes with no parachute—you can figure out how to waltz." 

Steve let out a sigh and took Bucky's hand in one of his own. With his other hand resting on his friend's hip, he began to bob his head in time with the music as he tried to concentrate on the steps.

"Stop looking at your feet," Bucky warned. "Look at me."

It had taken Steve an hour of practice everyday for two weeks, but he'd finally mastered the waltz. Once he felt confident that the most important dance was under his belt, Bucky had moved on to a few more dances to expand Steve's repertoire.

Keeping his end goal in mind had helped Steve to focus on his objective, but now that the hour of reckoning was upon him, he could feel anxiety settling deep within his gut. Swallowing his doubts, he squared his shoulders and turned to her.

"May I have this dance, Mrs. Rogers?" he asked as he extended one hand toward his new bride.

She gave him a wary look. "I didn't think you knew how to dance?"

Instead of answer, all she got was a mischievous grin. Deciding to take a chance, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. She'd been expecting the awkward grade school shuffle, so when the string quartet began playing the Sleeping Beauty Waltz by Tchaikovsky, her eyes grew wide with shock.

As Steve expertly led her around the floor, she was rendered speechless. The entire day so far had been like a fairytale for her, and this latest surprise from her new husband ensured that their wedding day would go down at the happiest day of her life. She let Steve, and the lilting strains of the violins and cello, sweep her away as she wondered how she'd gotten so lucky. To think that she owed all of her happiness to losing her job all those years ago.

When the song ended, Steve pulled her close to him and leaned in for a kiss as all their friends and family members applauded from the edges of the dance floor.

"How? When?" she asked, still a little breathless.

"Bucky taught me," he answered as a blush began to creep up from beneath the collar of his tuxedo collar.

The wonderment on her face faded away as shock took its place. Closing her eyes, she shook her head and began to laugh as other couples began to join them on the dance floor. "Not that I'm ungrateful for this amazing surprise, but I honestly think I would have rather gotten the chance to see that in person."

Steve let out a indignant huff and rolled his eyes. "I try to do something nice. . ."

"It was a valiant gesture, Rogers," Tony said as he twirled Pepper closer to the newlyweds. He turned to YN and gave her a wink. "Don't worry, kid—I had FRIDAY keep the recordings. They're on a disk drive with the rest of your wedding gift from us."

Before Steve could offer a word of protest, Tony had led Pepper far away from the embarrassed supersoldier. YN reached out and laid a hand against his cheek to draw his attention back to her.

"You know I love you, right?"

Steve dropped his head and peeked up at her through his lashes. "Yeah, I kinda figured that out when you showed up today."

She pursed her lips and gave him a chastising look.

"I love you, too," he finally admitted as he leaned in for another kiss.

"Good." She pulled back and narrowed her eyes. "Now, what else did Bucky teach you?"

“What was wrong with the last place?" Steve asked as YN and their realtor, Carl, walked along the tree-lined street toward yet another apartment building.

"It was nice," YN conceded with a shrug. "But the living room was too small. There's no way all of our friends would have fit there comfortably."

Steve nodded and continued walking. When he and YN had decided to move out of the tower after their wedding, he'd thought it would be as simple as picking a place a signing a lease. Now, after two months of apartment hunting, he realized that nothing with YN would ever be simple. Not that he minded—she was the best thing that had ever happened to him, but he was anxious to finally make a home with her.

Carl chattered on about the neighborhood and the amenities nearby, but Steve had tuned him out once they'd made the turn at the corner. 

He knew this street.

It wasn't that unusual—he'd grown up in Brooklyn after all, but it was still a shock to see something from his past and realize just how much had changed in the last eighty years. A smile spread across his face as he remembered the little old man, Mr. Lee, that had lived in the brownstone they'd just passed. The crotchety old guy had spent most of his days—and nights—leaned out of his window harassing anyone that made a peep as they walked by his house.

He'd gotten lost in his recollections, so he was a bit taken aback when YN and Carl stopped in front of a familiar building. He looked over at his new bride to find a huge grin on her face, and in that moment, he realized that it wasn't a coincidence that had brought them to the apartment building he'd shared with Bucky before the war.

Carl led them up the stairs to the third floor, and Steve felt a jolt when he realized that he was heading to the last place he'd lived before Dr. Erskine had completely changed his life.

"I know it's probably not going to work for us," YN said when she saw the look on Steve's face, "but when I saw it was for rent, I thought it would be fun to check it out. For old times sake, you know?"

Steve was speechless, so all he managed was a nod as he stepped across the threshold. A wave of nostalgia swept over him as he looked at the familiar hardwood floors beneath his feet. The kitchen had been completely renovated, and the walls were a different color, but there was no mistaking that this was the place he and Bucky had called home for so many years.

"They kept the fireplace," he murmured as he walked across the living room and ran his hand over familiar the red bricks.

"It's gas operated now," Carl informed them as flipped a switch and turned on the artificial logs.

"Why don't you give us a minute, Carl?" YN asked with a smile. She could tell that Steve was having a moment and she wanted to give him as much privacy as she could.

"Absolutely. I'll just be out in the hallway if you need anything."

"What do you think?" YN asked as she used a finger to turn Steve's face to meet her gaze. "Is it the way you remembered?"

He let out a long breath and pulled her into his arms. "It's different, but somehow still the same." He looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen. "Buck almost burned this place to the ground one night frying bacon. Idiot didn't realize you weren't supposed to put water on a grease fire."

YN tried to imagine him and Bucky as they'd been before the war, and although she'd seen pictures, she just couldn't picture them any other way than they were now. "You two had some good times together."

Steve nodded and reached out a hand toward the fireplace again. As he did, one of the bricks moved slightly.

"Oh, no," YN said with a frown. "Is it falling apart?"

A grin spread across Steve's face as he shook his head. "This brick was loose when we lived here before. I would've thought they'd have fixed it by now."

He let go of YN and used both hands to ease the brick out of its niche. She was surprised to see an envelope—faded with time—sitting in the empty space. "What's that?"

Steve laid the loose brick on the mantle and pulled out the letter. "I wrote this in 1942."

"What?"

He turned the envelope over in his hands a few times before holding it out to her. "You should read it."

"Who did you write it to?"

"Just read it," he urged with a smile.

She eased the flap loose and pulled out the folded piece of paper within. Careful not to tear it, she unfolded it and began to read aloud.

_To the next resident,_

_If you're reading this letter, then that means that me and my roommate, Bucky Barnes, have both been sent off to war. Bucky and I shared a lot of good times here, and I hope that you will find happiness here as well. Anything that we might have left behind is yours to take since it's a very good possibility that neither of us will make it back home alive. It was always my dream to get married and start a family someday, so I sincerely hope that you have a family that will love this apartment as much as Bucky and I did._

_Good luck and God bless,_

_Steven G. Rogers_

"Steve. . ."

He shook his head, causing her to stop speaking. She could feel herself starting to get choked up from his words in the letter. He'd predicted that he and Bucky wouldn't survive the war, but he'd had no way of knowing the price each of them would have to pay in the end.

"I can't believe this is still here," he said as he took the letter from her and looked at his own handwriting.

"Maybe it's a sign," she said as she gave him a slight nudge. "Maybe we should be the ones to start a family here just like you'd hoped."

His eyes were glassy with tears as he looked up at her. "You'd do that for me?"

"This is your home," she explained as she framed his face with her hands. "And my home is wherever you are."

He leaned in a kissed her before slipping the letter back in the envelope and hiding it behind the brick again. His gaze swept over the apartment before landing back on her. "I never thought I'd see this place again, but maybe you're right—maybe it's time I came home."

She hadn't been sure what Steve's reaction to seeing his old apartment would be when she'd surprised him a few months prior, but now that they'd settled in she was thrilled that this was the place they'd chosen to start their lives. It was fitting in a way that Steve would finally get the opportunity to live out the dreams he'd had as a young man growing up in Brooklyn. The times may be different, but there were some things, like love and family, that never seemed to change.

Waking up alone in an empty apartment was the worst part of living so far away from Avengers Tower. When she and Steve had still lived under Tony's roof, she was guaranteed to have someone to talk to at all times. Now, it was just her rambling around the old apartment when Steve was off on a mission. At least she still worked for Tony, so she could see Steve, and the rest of their friends, throughout the day at the Tower.

As she went about her morning routine of showering and fixing her first cup of coffee for the day, she took a moment to study the home they'd made together. It was a perfect blend of the two of them—he preferred the vintage, while she leaned more toward the modern. Marriage was a compromise and she thought their apartment was the perfect example of how well they'd blended their interests and their lives.

With a steaming mug in hand, she made her way to the window in the living room that looked down over the street below. Spring was slowly morphing into summer and the trees along the busy street were full and lush with jaunty leaves dancing in the breeze. She could just make out the sounds of the birds over the street noise if she concentrated hard enough.

The sun was just starting to peek over the buildings across the street and the sky was a myriad of oranges and reds. Sunrises like these made her wish that she could paint. If Steve were here, he'd grab his sketchbook and colored pencils and capture the scene perfectly. She had a few of his drawings framed and hung up around the apartment, and she was always encouraging him to draw more since she knew how much he loved making art.

As she looked out over her little square of the world through the window, she saw the most beautiful sight. She was reminded of Roy Orbison's hit song, Pretty Woman, as she watch her husband drive down the street on his motorcycle. Even after all this time, just seeing him made the breath catch in her throat. Pretty wasn't a word most people used to describe a man, but there was no denying that Steve Rogers was spectacular to behold.

He was still in his uniform, although it looked as though it had seen better days. Filthy and torn in a few places, YN realized that he must have come straight home after his mission instead of cleaning up at the Tower. She'd have to remember to take his uniform with her to work so it could be cleaned and repaired before the next mission. He would probably try to go in with her, but even from this distance she could see the dark circles under his eyes and knew he'd need at least a few hours to rest. Maybe if she promised him lunch at his favorite café, he'd heed her request and sleep for a while before he went back to work.

Once he'd parked the bike and lowered the kickstand, he looked up toward the window where she sat. She wasn't sure how he knew she'd be there, but the smile and mock salute he sent her had a smile spreading across her face. When he'd disappeared from view, she rose and went to the door to greet him. 

Being alone in the apartment wasn't always an ideal situation, but there was something comforting about knowing that his first priority after a mission was coming home to her.

Steve was a planner. YN had known this since the day she'd finally gotten up the nerve to speak to him. When she'd offered to tutor him in the world of technology, he'd insisted on making a schedule. But his life didn't exactly run on a schedule like the rest of the world, and evil forces never gave him the courtesy of calling ahead for an appointment.

He'd learned over the years to be a bit more flexible when it came to his plans, but there were still some areas of his life that he liked to keep orderly. It gave him a sense of peace, so YN never complained much about the chore schedule, or their carefully planned date nights. She actually thought it was kind of sweet that he wanted to make sure their relationship ran as smoothly as it could.

But one thing you could never plan for was children.

When she'd told him she was pregnant seven and a half months ago, he'd been over the moon. But then his micromanaging side came out in full force. He'd read every single book on pregnancy and created a multi-colored chart so they could monitor the baby's growth and her OB appointments. He'd even informed Tony that he was taking a few months off from Avenging once the baby was born.

Steve had planned everything down to the last detail, but he'd forgotten to take into consideration that babies and evil forces had one thing in common—they didn't follow schedules. YN wasn't due until the end of May, so when her water broke a few weeks early, Steve was too shocked to think straight.

"It's too soon," he said when YN peeked her head out of the bathroom and told him she was going into labor.

She tried to reassure him as she went back into the bathroom to clean herself up a bit. "It's fine, Steve. There's always a possibility babies will come early."

"But we're not ready."

YN paused and watched as her normally cool and collected husband began running around their bedroom grabbing random objects and throwing them into a bag. The contractions had just begun, but they weren't that bad, so she could still find humor in the situation.

"What are you doing?"

He stopped and looked at her in disbelief. "What do you mean? I'm packing a bag. We've got to get you to the hospital."

She chuckled as he grabbed one high heel from her shoe rack and threw it in the bag. Taking pity on him, she walked over and laid a hand on his arm. "Honey, we've had the bag for the hospital packed for weeks." She nodded toward the small duffle laying by the bathroom door. "We're ready for this."

He paused and took a deep breath. Looking down at the bag in his hand, he let out a deep sigh. "I'm not ready for this, YN."

Taking his face in her hands, she forced him to meet her gaze. "Steven Grant Rogers. You are the bravest man I know. You run headfirst into the face of danger without batting an eye. Compared to that, fatherhood is going to be the easiest thing you've ever done. You were born to be a father, and I know our little one is the luckiest little girl in the world because she'll have you as her daddy."

He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. "You really think so?"

"I know so."

Another contraction hit and caused her to grimace in pain. Steve's face paled and all of his earlier apprehensions came rushing back. Grabbing the bag by the bathroom door, he ran into the living room. She heard the front door slam closed and wondered how long it would take him to realize that he'd left her behind. First time deliveries usually took a while, so she wasn't too worried, but she still got out her phone and shot off a quick text—just in case.

Shaking her head, she went to her closet and pulled out something to wear to the hospital. The contractions were getting a little closer together and a lot more intense, so she had to pause every so often to catch her breath before she could finish getting dressed.

She was just sitting down on the couch to put on her shoes, when she heard his key in the lock. Trying to hide her smile, she waited with bated breath to see the look on his face when he walked back into the apartment.

"Forget something?" she asked mischievously.

"Don't laugh at me," he said as he hung his head in shame. Kneeling down before he, he took the shoe from her hand and helped her slip it on and tie it up. "I've been in more life or death situations than I care to count, but this is the most important—not to mention the scariest—thing I've ever done."

She ran her fingers though his hair and leaned over to kiss his forehead. "I'm scared too, but that's why we've got to stick together."

"Together," he repeated as though he was trying to drill it into his mind.

"Together means you don't get to forget me again," she teased.

He closed his eyes with a groan. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

"I won't tease you too much," she said with a laugh. "But you know Bucky will me merciless."

His eyes opened and he fixed her with a glare. "Bucky will never find out about this."

"Too late," she said with an apologetic look. "I had to have a backup plan in case you didn't come back." She paused long enough to get to her feet. "He thinks it's hilarious, by the way. He was sure you'd eventually remember me, so you might want to text him and let him know he doesn't need to come get me."

Steve stared to make a snarky comment, but another contraction hit and YN gasped in pain. 

"Okay, no more playing around," he announced as he quickly led her to the door. "I may become a father today, but I'll be damned if I deliver this baby by myself in the living room."

"I don't know if this is a good idea, or not," Steve said as he surveyed the area before him in a whole new light. "It's dangerous, honey."

YN stood beside her husband and tried to see things from his perspective, but she was having a hard time. "It's not that bad. You've gone out of your way to ensure that it's the safest space possible."

Steve shook his head. "I haven't done enough. I think I need to consult the books again."

"Steve," YN said as she laid a hand on his arm. "You've been over the books—you've plotted and planned for every foreseeable complication. . ."

"I've missed something," he interrupted as his hands went to his hips.

YN closed her eyes and started counting to ten. She'd already been through this with him for the past six months, and it hurt her heart to know that it was just the beginning. 

Reaching the number ten, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. "Why don't we just try it? Just for a second."

He turned to look at her. "You really think it'll be okay?"

"You didn't die, did you?"

He heard the sarcasm in her voice and saw the look of frustration in her eyes. She had a point, but what she failed to realize was that his death could've occurred at any moment. He just couldn't fathom the thought of a precious, innocent life being put in danger due to his own stupidity.

"Okay," YN said, finally losing it. "I'm doing this with or without you."

Steve reached out to stop her, but she was already crouching on the floor and positioning Sarah on her hands and knees. His breath caught in his throat as he watched his baby girl pat at the plush throw rug beneath her hands.

"Do you like that?" YN cooed at her daughter as Sarah began to giggle. She looked up at Steve. "Get down here so you don't miss it."

Resigning himself to the inevitable, he lowered himself to the rug and watched Sarah begin to explore the new terrain before her. He'd initially loved the original hardwood floors of his old apartment, but when Sarah had gotten to the age where she was ready to crawl, his overprotective mind had panicked at the thought of her getting a splinter, or pulling up on a piece of furniture and toppling over to bump her head.

YN had cautioned him about going overboard, but he hadn't listened. He'd immediately went to the store and bought every book they had on baby-proofing a home. In addition to the dozens of deeply piled throw rugs currently covering the living room floor, he'd purchased outlet covers, baby gates, cabinet locks, and the little rubber sleeves to cover the corners of their furniture. He'd wanted to pad the walls with foam, but YN had put her foot down by that point. She'd approved of most of his safety measures, but she was insistent that Sarah needed to learn how to be careful—and it wasn't as if the two of them wouldn't be right beside her the entire time she was exploring the living room.

"She's not really moving," Steve observed with a frown.

YN nodded toward the other side of the rug. "Go sit over there and see if she'll go to you."

Steve got on his hands and knees and began crawling across the rug. "See? This is how you crawl. You can do this, no problem."

Without missing a beat, YN pulled her phone out and began recording. She mostly wanted to get a video of Steve crawling on all fours, but she was glad she had it out when Sarah actually began imitating her father.

"She's doing it," she exclaimed as she covered her mouth with her free hand to stifle her emotions. "Our baby is actually crawling."

Steve had made it to the other side of the rug and was currently sitting cross-legged as he continued to encourage Sarah to crawl to him. "That's it, sweetie. Come to Da-da."

When Sarah made it across the rug and grabbed a hold of Steve's knee, he picked her up and swung her above his head. "That's my girl."

YN was still filming, but she could barely see the image on the phone through the tears in her eyes. It still amazed her how wonderful of a father Steve was, but she shouldn't have been. He was the kindest, most caring man she'd ever met, so it stood to reason that he'd take to fatherhood like a duck to water.

Steve gave Sarah a smacking kiss on the cheek and placed her back on the rug facing YN. "Go to Mama now."

YN put away her phone and reached out to Sarah. "Come here, sweetie. You can do it." She was so focused on Sarah's awkward, swaying crawl that she didn't notice Steve getting out his phone to record the momentous occasion. When Sarah finally made it to her, she scooped her up and began blowing raspberries against her belly making the baby giggle uncontrollably.

"We've got this, don't we?" Steve asked once YN had placed Sarah back down on the rug.

She met his eyes across the living room and smiled. "Hell yeah, we've got this."

Steve's eyes grew large as his gaze darted to the baby. He reached out and covered Sarah's ears as he glared at his wife. "Language."

YN sat at the dining room table and cradled her head in her hands. She'd been fighting with Sarah for the past twenty minutes trying to get the toddler to eat something—anything—but Sarah wanted her daddy and he wasn't available. YN had known when she married Steve that dropping everything to run off and save the world was part of the deal, but now that they were trying to raise a child, the situation was completely different.

Sarah was usually the sweetest baby, but she was a daddy's girl, and nothing YN did would ever change that fact. She looked up and sneaked a peek at her daughter. It came as no surprise to see Sarah already perfecting the Eyebrows of Disappointment.

"He'll be home later tonight," YN said as she tried to reason with the furious child.

"Daddy," Sarah demanded as she pounded her fists on the high chair tray.

YN let out a sigh and gave up. Missing one meal couldn't possibly be the end of the world, and if Sarah got hungry enough, she'd eventually eat—Steve or no Steve.

She rose and unclipped the safety harness and pulled Sarah up and out of the high chair. "Time for a bath, little lady."

"No," Sarah screamed. "Daddy bath Sarah."

Sarah began kicking and screaming and YN groaned in frustration. At this point she had no idea what to do. She knew the lack of a nap that day probably played a huge part in her child's grumpy mood, but again, Sarah had refused to sleep without her daddy to rock her.

YN eventually put Sarah down and let her do her own thing. It wasn't the best parenting choice, but she was tired and out of ideas. Thankfully Laura Barton was coming into the city the next day so Sarah would have Nate to play with at the Tower while YN worked. She'd started doing a lot of work from home since the baby had been born, but if there was a babysitter available, then she'd go in and let Sarah socialize a bit while she took care of things that she couldn't do at home.

As Sarah toddled across the room and pulled herself up into the window seat, YN sat on the couch and sighed. She knew that Sarah would stay in the window until her father came home, so she wasn't worried. Plus, it gave her a few minutes of peace and quiet to let the raging headache she'd developed over the past few hours ease up. She'd just closed her eyes when she heard Sarah's delighted screech.

"Daddy."

YN was up and across the room in a flash to keep Sarah from toppling out of the window in her rush to get to the front door. Scooping up the little girl, she peered out the window, but all she saw was Steve's bike parked at the curb.

"Are you happy Daddy's home?" YN asked Sarah.

The only response she got was a full-body wiggle as Sarah tried to slide out of her mother's grasp. YN carefully set her on her feet and walked to the door.

"I'm home," Steve called out as he opened the door and played a quick game of peek-a-boo with Sarah. 

YN wanted to be angry that Sarah was now acting like the most perfect, adorable baby in the world when for the past twenty-four hours YN had felt like she was taking care of Rosemary's Baby. But she couldn't be angry that her daughter loved her daddy. YN love him just as much, and she was just as excited to see him.

He put his shield by the door and swept Sarah into his arms and walked over to give YN a kiss. "Miss me?"

"You have no idea," she told him with a frown.

He looked down at Sarah. "Was someone a bad girl while I was gone?"

Sarah shook her head with an innocent look on her face. "I good girl, Daddy."

"I know you are, pumpkin."

"Hmph," YN muttered under her breath. "Good girl my. . ."

"Language," Steve warned with a wink before putting Sarah down. She immediately raised her arms again to be held, but Steve just shook his head. "I was going to call, but I wanted to see you guys before Sarah went to bed."

"You're not staying?"

He shook his head. "We've got to head back out in a few hours."

"I understand. How long will you be gone?"

"We'll be back in the morning."

"No," Sarah said as she stomped her foot on the ground. "Daddy stay."

Steve turned back to Sarah, but she was already halfway across the room. He watched in horror as she reached out for his shield. "Don't touch that, pumpkin."

Sarah turned and gave him a look that left no doubt in his mind that she was his daughter. YN couldn't help but silently cheer that Steve was finally getting to see the side of their little girl that up until now she'd only been privy to.

Her elation quickly died as she watched her little girl effortlessly pick up Steve's shield and throw it across the room at him. Thankfully his reflexes were quick and he was able to catch it before it did any damage, but he looked just as shocked at YN did.

"What in the hell just happened?" YN asked as she stood rooted to the floor completely dumbfounded.

"Wanguage," Sarah said with a pout as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I know I'm a little sleep-deprived," Steve said as he gave his daughter a wary look. "But did our two year old just throw a vibranium shield across the room like it was a frisbee?"

"I'm taking her to the Tower tomorrow," YN told him. "Laura is coming in with the kids."

"I'll see if Bruce will be willing to sit this one out. Maybe he can run some tests."

"It's the serum, isn't it?"

Steve nodded his head. "I worried that she'd inherit my DNA, but I was mostly thinking of the asthma and scoliosis. I never dreamed she'd be. . ."

His sentence trailed off, so YN finished it for him. "A mini-supersoldier?"

"Parenting just got a whole lot harder."

She reached for his hand and placed it on her stomach. "It's about to get twice as hard."

His gaze shot from Sarah's angry face to YN's stomach and then up to her eyes. When she shrugged and gave him a wary smile, he didn't know whether to be overjoyed or worried as hell. As he looked back at his daughter still angrily glaring at him, worry began to win out.

YN was already sitting at their table in the coffee shop when Steve walked in. Seeing her leaned over the mug with her eyes closed in rapture as she inhaled the aromatic scent made him chuckle.

"Do you and that coffee mug need to get a room?" he teased as he took a seat opposite her and grabbed the to-go cup she'd already ordered for him.

"I'm allowed one twelve ounce cup of coffee per day," she reminded him as she lifted the mug to her lips and took a sip. "So, I'm going to enjoy every single drop of it, thank you very much."

He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "How's Jamie doing today?"

She smiled as she began rubbing her protruding belly. "Our baby boy is absolutely perfect." She looked back up at him. "How was the parent-teacher conference?"

Steve inhaled sharply and grimaced. "Our little girl is not so perfect."

YN closed her eyes and sighed. Sarah had been such a sweet little baby, but now that she'd turned four and started Pre-School, she'd become quite the handful. "What did she do this time?"

"Well, it seems as though she inherited my artistic talent." Steve took a sip of his coffee and hoped his optimism would help soften the blow of what was to come.

"Spill it." YN wasn't fooled by Steve's deference—she knew her daughter well enough to know that whatever Sarah had done, it hadn't been good.

"She drew a lovely picture of our last trip to Coney Island."

YN narrowed her eyes. "What's so bad about that?"

Steve hung his head. "She drew it on the wall in permanent marker during nap time."

Stifling a groan, YN focused on her cup of coffee. Her daughter may be causing her grief, but she reminded herself that she was at her and Steve's coffee shop and she'd be damned if the best part of her day was ruined by anything. "Is that all she did?"

Steve hemmed and hawed for a moment.

"Out with it, Rogers," YN demanded as she gave him a withering look.

"She convinced her class to become the Avengers."

YN tried to imagine how that could have turned out horribly and for one brief moment she imagined one of the kids trying to swing from the monkey bars like Peter and breaking his arm. "Please tell me no one got hurt?"

"No, no," he quickly assured her. "They caught her during the costume design part of her plan." He saw the confused look on his wife's face, so he figured it would be easier to just spit it all out at once. "She painted the trash can lid to look like my shield, she used a black Sharpie to give Kaden a goatee like Tony, she swiped some green finger paint from the arts and craft cabinet and covered Billy from head to toe so he could be the Hulk, she used cherry Kool-Aid to dye Kennady's hair red like Nat's, and to top it all off, she used magic marker to draw a full tattoo sleeve on Beau so he could be Clint."

"Oh, my God," YN said as her eyes grew wide.

"I know," Steve sympathized. "She went way too far. . ."

"No, not that," YN said as she tried to stifle a grin. "She forgot Thor."

Steve shook his head. "No she didn't. Gabby has long blonde hair, so she gave her a hammer from the play toy kit and told her she was the Goddess of Thunder."

At that YN burst out laughing. She saw the look of disdain on Steve's face, but she couldn't help herself. "I know you were the one that had to deal with Miss Heather, but look at it from my perspective and tell me that's not the most adorable thing you've ever heard?"

Steve gave her the Eyebrows of Disappointment. "YN, come on. It's not funny. Those kids' parents were so mad. Well, not Gabby's, but the rest of them were. Kaden is going to have walk around looking like Tony for days before that Sharpie washes off. Not to mention the impromptu hair dye."

His words were lost on her as she sat back and finished her coffee with a huge smile on her face. "You said so yourself—she's an artist just like you." Realizing that he wasn't ready to see the humor in the situation, she decided to find a compromise. "Why don't we see about getting her into an after-school art class for kids. Maybe she'll be able to find an outlet for her creativity that doesn't get her kicked out of Pre-School?"

"That could work," Steve said as he thought about YN's suggestion. He looked down at her belly and then met her gaze again. "What are we going to do if he turns out just like his big sister?"

YN smiled down at her bump and rubbed it again. "She turned out just like you, so I'd say we'd be lucky if Jamie did the same."

"That's not fair."

She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. "You're going to have to accept the fact that we've got two super-powered kids." She paused for a moment. "Speaking of which. . . Where is Sarah?"

"I dropped her off with Tony and Pepper for a play date."

"You're not scared she'll start drawing on Morgan?" YN asked.

"Pfft," Steve snorted with a laugh. "Morgan knows how to take care of herself—she'll be fine."

YN's face grew introspective. "They're the future aren't they?"

"What do you mean?" Steve asked with a confused look on his face.

"You and Tony can't do this forever, hon." She waited for a beat to see if he'd catch on to her train of thought. "Peter. . .the Barton kids. . .Morgan. . .our two. . .they're going to be the next generation of Avengers."

A slow smile spread across his face as he envisioned their kids one day rising up and taking their places. He knew it should terrify him that his little girl might one day face the dangers he faced on a daily basis, but he knew Sarah had it in her to be the kind of hero the world needed. "You know? You just might be right about that."

Steve and YN had taken their sweet time enjoying their coffee. Sarah was a handful these days and any moment of peace and quiet they could sneak was well worth it. Not that they didn't love their daughter, but with YN being pregnant again and Steve away on missions, sometimes it was nice to just have a moment to themselves where they could be adults.

"We should probably go save Tony and Pepper," YN said as she took her last sip of coffee. "Between her and Morgan, I'll be surprised if the Tower is still standing."

"I don't think Pepper lets Morgan around the explosives just yet," Steve teased as he gathered their trash and went to toss it into a bin a few feet away.

"You think that'll stop those two?" She waited for Steve to return to help her to her feet. "Thanks, hon."

He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the temple. "Just one of the perks of being married to a superhero."

She smiled and let him lead her out of the coffee shop. Since he knew he'd be picking up both YN and Sarah, he'd left the bike at home and drove the car instead. Finding a place to park less than a block from the coffee shop had been a stroke of luck, but he still worried about YN overexerting herself this far into her pregnancy.

Sensing his concern, she looked up at him and smiled. "I'm fine—walking is good for me."

Letting out a huff, he willed himself not to hover. He'd done that with the first pregnancy and she'd threatened to kick him out of the apartment until after the baby was born if he didn't stop. But he couldn't help himself. YN was his world, and he wasn't sure he could survive without her.

Traffic was light, so it didn't take him long to reach the Tower and pull into the underground garage. "You want to come up with me?"

YN nodded as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "I need to run a few things by Tony since I'm not coming into the office until after my maternity leave. Plus, I haven't seen Morgan in a while—she's probably a foot taller since I saw her last."

Steve walked around the car and helped her out. He knew she hated feeling helpless with her giant belly, but he secretly adored it. Not only was she absolutely gorgeous when she was pregnant, but he liked being able to dote on her even more than usual.

Locking the car doors behind him, they began making their way to the elevator, but before they got there, the doors opened and Sarah and Morgan peeked out and started giggling.

"Hey, pumpkin," Steve said as he bent down to scoop his daughter into his arms. "Miss me?"

Sarah wrapped her arms around Steve's neck and squeezed. "Always, daddy."

Steve looked down to find Morgan peering up at him through her lashes. "Hello Morgan H. Stark. Did you save the world while I was away today?"

Morgan giggled. "Yeah."

YN reached out to run a hand through Morgan's hair as she smiled at the adorable little girl. Steve set Sarah down and she pulled her daughter into a hug since she couldn't pick her up anymore.

"Good thing, too," Fury said as he stepped out of the corner to greet Steve. "Someone has to do it when you're not around."

"Director Fury," YN said with a warm smile as she went to give her husband's boss a hug. "It's so good to see you."

Fury pulled away and glanced down at her belly. "It's good to see you as well. How much longer until we get to meet the newest Rogers'?"

"Three weeks," Sarah announced proudly. "That's twenty-one days."

"You've got a smart one there, Rogers," Fury said as he stepped back to make room for them on the elevator. "She was just telling me all about the group of superheroes she recruited at her school."

Steve put his hands on his hips and dropped his head with a sigh. "Yeah, I just heard about that myself."

"Wait a second," YN said as she watched Morgan sidle up next to Fury and wrap her arms around his leg. "Are you babysitting right now?"

Fury began absentmindedly stoking Morgan's hair as he shook his head. "They wanted to play on the elevator and I was getting ready to head out. I told them they could each have a turn pushing the buttons before I had to leave."

"You didn't tell them the elevator story, did you?" Steve asked, remembering the last time he'd been in an elevator with Fury.

YN's curiosity was piqued. "What's the elevator story?"

"My grandfather used to operate one of these for a living," Fury explained. "Over forty years."

YN gave Steve a confused look. "What's so bad about that story?"

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to Tony and Pepper's private floor. Both girls rushed out to tell Pepper about pushing the buttons, leaving the three adults in the elevator.

"Nothing. Except for the part about carrying a gun in his lunch bag so he didn't get mugged after his shift," Steve said before turning back to Fury and extending his hand. "It was good to see you, sir."

Fury shook his hand and chuckled. "Glad that story made an impression." He turned to YN with a warm smile. "Make sure Rogers takes care of you and those babies, you hear?"

YN smiled and stepped off the elevator so Fury could go on his way. "Yes, sir." She waited for the doors to close before turning back to Steve. "Yeah, I'm glad he didn't tell Sarah that story. That's all we need is for her to get more ideas to take back to Pre-School."

______________________

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 234 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! When I read this prompt, I immediately thought of Fury's elevator story from TWS. Technically, he's not their grandfather, but he's the closest thing any of these kids will have to a grandparent, so I think he counts. Don't you? Fury definitely sees their potential, and we all know he's always looking to the future. Do you think he knows more than we do? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

YN finished packing Sarah's lunch and put it in her backpack before calling for her daughter. "Time to go, sweetie."

Steve walked into the kitchen with Jamie on his hip. "He's dressed and ready to go. Nat texted and she just left Shanghai with her intel. I'll probably be in meetings all afternoon once she gets back to the Tower, so I should probably drive myself in. You okay dropping off the kids?"

"No," Jamie said as he gave his father the Eyebrows of Disappointment.

YN smiled and shook her head. "That actually works better for me today. It's a half-day for Sarah today for Faculty Senate meetings, so I'm taking Jamie with me to work. Scott and Hope are in to work with Pepper on something, and Cassie asked if she could play with Jamie today."

"No," Jamie repeated.

Steve leaned over and gave YN a kiss. "Perfect. I don't know how long these debriefs are going to take so don't wait for me for dinner tonight."

"Since you're going to be tied up, I may see if Pepper and the Lang's want to come over."

Jamie's face turned sour. "No."

Putting one hand on his hip, Steve stared down at his little boy. "Are you ever going to learn another word?"

"No," Jamie said proudly as a shit-eating grin spread across his face.

"He's definitely your kid," YN muttered as Sarah came bounding into the room and grabbed her backpack off the counter.

"I'm ready," she announced.

"You've got your homework from last night?" Steve asked as Sarah began slipping her arms through the straps.

"No," Jamie said, but no one was listening to him.

"I put it in my homework folder after we finished it last night," Sarah reminded her dad.

"I checked it this morning," YN confirmed before she took her son from Steve's arms. "Tell Daddy goodbye."

"No."

Steve kissed Jamie's forehead and ruffled his sandy blonde locks. "Love you, too, buddy. Be good for Cassie today." He paused and waited for the inevitable response.

"No."

YN sighed and shook her head. "It's just a phase."

"You think Cassie will be able to handle him today?" Steve asked worriedly.

"She practically raised Scott—Jamie should be a piece of cake," YN teased.

With a chuckle, Steve crouched down and pulled his little girl into a hug. "Have a good day at school, pumpkin."

"Thanks, Daddy," Sarah whispered into his shoulder as she squeezed him tight. "Have a good day saving the world. And tell Auntie Nat I said hello."

"Will do," he promised as he stood and kissed YN goodbye. "I'll text when I'm on my way home."

"I'll wait up," YN promised as she grabbed Jamie's diaper bag and handed her briefcase to Sarah since she had Jamie. Normally when Steve was home, he helped in the mornings, but since he was away on missions more often that not, the three of them had learned to get by without him. 

She hated not having those extra few minutes alone with him in the car after they'd dropped off both kids, but knowing that he'd be home that night made up for the slight disappointment. There was something she'd been wanting to talk to him about, but it would have to wait until he got home that night.

As she strapped both kids into the backseat, she thought that perhaps it was best that she waited until that evening to talk with Steve. Broaching the topic of having another kid might work better if she had time to properly set the mood. A few candles and some Glenn Miller would go along way in convincing him to start trying again. She knew she must be crazy to even be thinking about having another super-powered child, but both of them had always wanted a large family and there was no better time than the present to make that dream a reality.

______________________

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 267 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! This prompt was probably supposed to be about someone rejecting a proposal, but I thought my idea was cuter! Can't you just see the youngest Rogers' constantly telling everyone "No"? He's just like his father! What did you think about the ending? Is Steve going to want to have another kid? Jamie should be over a year old at this point, and Sarah is probably in Kindergarten, so it's a good time. . .plus I have and idea for next month and I need another kid to make it work! I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

"This costume's a little tight, babe."

Steve walked up behind his wife who was staring at herself in the mirror and wrapped his arms around her. "I think you look amazing."

She put her hands on her hips and sighed heavily. "It makes my ass look huge."

"Elastigirl has a phenomenal ass," Steve whispered seductively into her ear.

She felt heat begin course through her veins. Leave it up to her husband to make her feel sexy just a few months after she'd given birth for the third time.

Before YN could respond, Sarah burst into their room and began doing superhero poses. "This costume is so cool." She stood up straight and swept a strand of long, black hair over her shoulder. "Especially the wig Auntie Nat let me borrow."

"You look amazing, pumpkin," Steve said with a smile. "Just like your mother."

"Do you like the wig Auntie Nat let you borrow, too?" Sarah asked as she looked up at her mother in awe. "You look just like Elastigirl."

"See?" Steve whispered as he shot YN a grin.

With a roll of her eyes, she looked away from the mirror to focus on her daughter. It didn't really matter what anybody thought of her post-pregnancy body, but it never ceased to amaze her that her daughter could look at her with all of her flaws and still see someone to look up to. That was what was most important, and YN would do well to remember that in the future.

"I love the wig," YN told Sarah as she reached out to adjust the headband in her daughter's wig. "Where's your brother?"

Right on cue, Jamie came running into the room at full speed and made a couple laps around the chair in the corner. He pulled up short and put his hands on his hips as he jutted out his chin. "Just call me Dash."

"Woah, buddy," Steve said as he held out both hands. "There's no running in the house."

"But dad," Jamie whined.

"You heard your father," YN said as she went to the pack-n-play in the corner and reached down to pick up Thomas who was already in his costume.

"Is it time to go?" Sarah asked excitedly as she bounced on her toes. "I can't wait to see Morgan's costume."

"Who's she going as this year?" YN asked.

"Her mom," Sarah answered as her eyes grew wide. "Her dad made her a miniature Rescue suit with her own AI. Her name is M.A.V.A., which is short for Morgan's Automated Virtual Assistant."

"It's not functional, is it?" YN asked as a look of worry came over her face.

"No, it can't fly or shoot repulsor beams yet," Sarah said with a dejected sigh before her face broke out into a smile again. "But Mr. Stark said he'd make her a real one once she turned fifty."

Steve tried to stifle a chuckle. "He did, did he?" He grabbed his mask and slipped it over his head. "We all ready? Tony's party will be starting soon and I don't want to be late."

"Why are you in such a hurry to get to one of Tony's parties?" YN asked suspiciously.

He took Thomas from YN's hands and made some baby noises to get his youngest son to smile. "Because there's a costume contest and we're a shoe-in to win it this year. Aren't we, Jack-Jack?"

The baby in Steve's arms began giggling with glee at his father's attention and YN took a moment to look at the rest of her family. The costumes had been his idea this year, but now that she saw all of them dressed up, she couldn't help but agree with him. They were a pretty Incredible family, and they'd definitely be taking home the top prize—miniature Rescue suit or not.

______________________

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 304 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! Now you see why I needed them to have another kid? I just watched the second Incredibles the other day and thought it would be a perfect costume idea for our superhero family. Do you agree? What did you think of Morgan's costume idea? I had fun trying to come up with a name for her AI. . .did you like it? What about Tony's comment about making her a fully functional suit when she's fifty? Doesn't that sound like something Tony would say? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

"It all changed when they surrounded me," Steve lamented as he dropped his head and used the stirrer to swirl the coffee around in his mug.  


"Who surrounded you?" YN asked, instantly concerned. Steve wasn't exactly a young man anymore—not that he'd been young when she'd met him almost twenty-five years ago. His hair had gone grey at the temples a few years ago and the lines around his eyes were deeper, but still somehow sexy.

He looked up and let out a hard breath. "Our kids."

One eyebrow rose in disbelief. "You were intimidated by our kids?"

"Well, it wasn't just them—it was all of the kids."

YN knew in an instant what had happened. Reaching out, she laid a hand over his and gave him a sympathetic smile. "You knew this day was going to come eventually."

"They're still too young," he argued.

She sat back and started laughing. "Oh, is that right? You realize Sarah's almost twenty-four—she graduated college two years ago."

"But Thomas just turned eighteen. He's barely out of high school and already wanting to save the world?"

YN tsked. "And how old were you when you signed up for Project: Rebirth?"

Steve's face grew stern. "That was different. We were at war. . ."

"We're always at war, Steve." She took a deep breath and tried to find the words to comfort her husband. She'd known since the moment Sarah had picked up the shield as a baby that her children wouldn't stay children for long. Being born with superpowers meant that the world would need them far earlier than she'd be ready to give them up. But she'd had years to prepare herself for this moment. She thought Steve had as well, but now she could see he'd believed he'd always be invincible and therefore his kids would never have to make the sacrifices he'd had to make in his life.

"That's what Tony said," Steve murmured.

"Tony was there, too?"

Steve nodded his head. "Yeah. Scott and Clint were, too."

"They would know better than anyone, Steve."

"Their kids are a lot older than ours," he reminded her. "Lila, Cooper, and Cassie are all in their thirties. Lila even has a kid already. Did you know that?"

"I was at the baby shower, remember?"

His brow furrowed as he tried to remember that event. "The New Avengers and I have been working well together—I just don't see why I'm being pushed out now."

"Because you've taught them everything they need to know?" YN suggested with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "And it's not like you're just going to ride off into the sunset and forget all about them. Tony still has KAREN and MAVA keeping a close eye on Peter and Morgan—and Peter's in his forties now."

Steve let out a long sigh and took a sip of his coffee. "I guess."

"Steve." She waited for him to look up at her before she asked her next question. "What's really bothering you?"

He should've known his wife would pick up on the underlying reason he was so upset with the intervention the kids had staged on his behalf, but he didn't really want to admit it—even to himself.

"We're not leaving this coffee shop until you tell me the truth." YN was fully prepared to sit there all day drinking coffee until Steve fessed up. She already knew the answer, but she knew he needed to come to terms with him before he'd be able to let go of the reins.

"I never thought I'd retire," he all but spat as he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Happy?"

"That you didn't die in battle like you always thought you would?" It was a rhetorical question, so she didn't wait for a response before continuing. "Because, I—for one—am thrilled that never happened. This is the best-case scenario, honey. You and the other Avengers have trained the kids to be just as good, if not better, than you were. I know our kids are going to be just fine because you taught them how to be smarter than you in the face of danger."

"Jamie is a hot-head," Steve reminded her.

"Yeah, he took after his father more than his namesake."

"Hey," Steve protested.

She gave him a grin. "You know I'm right. Sarah has Bucky's personality—always looking at every angle before making a move. Thomas is a lot like Sam, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Sam got into a lot of trouble following your lead and he looks up to Jamie a little more than he should."

"They're good kids when they work as a team," Steve mused aloud. "They know how to play off of each other's strengths and make up for the other's weaknesses."

"And who taught them that?"

Finally realizing where she'd been going along, Steve had to admit that she was right. He'd worked hard to help his kids realize their full potential and they were better for it—both together and individually. Their skills, combined with the other New Avengers, would make them all a more cohesive unit. But he still hated being told what to do.

"They could've let me retire on my own without bringing in Tony and the others."

"Steve Rogers, if it had been left up to you, you would never retire," YN said with a soft chuckle. "I'm glad they convinced you before you broke a hip and had to spend a few weeks in rehab. I have a whole laundry list of things I want do now that you're not off saving the world every other day."

"Oh, you do, do you? And what exactly is on this list?"

A sultry grin came over her face. "Well, our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary is coming up in a few months and I thought it might be fun to go on a second honeymoon."

"I remember the first one," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Care for a repeat?"

He leaned over and grabbed her hands and brought them to his lips. Kissing her knuckles he looked deep into her eyes. "You know what? I think I might just like retirement after all."

______________________

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 331 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! Flash Forward! When I read this prompt, I figured it would be fun to jump forward in time and see how things were going once the kids were all grown up. I'd hinted at the fact that the super-kids would eventually take over and it seems as though that day has finally arrived. It's strange to think of Peter Parker in his forties, but we all have to grow up eventually. Do you think the New Avengers will be as good as the original six? Maybe even better? I guess we'll just have to wait to see! I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

YN stared down at the tiny device Steve had placed on the table between them. "Are we sure we wanna do this?"

"We were there for their first steps and their first words," Steve said with a sigh. "It just stands to reason we'd witness their first mission as Avengers."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Most of their major life events had occurred in their coffee shop, so YN had thought being there on their kids' first mission would somehow bring them luck. As the familiar sounds of baristas making coffees surrounded her, she started to feel a bit at ease. "Turn it on."

Steve chuckled and turned the device on. A holographic image popped up with ten different video readouts for each of the members of the team.

"Are they fighting yet?" YN asked with her eyes still tightly closed.

"Just look," he said as he began playing with the interface to zoom in on individual camera feeds.

YN opened one eye and saw an image of Jamie and Thomas speaking right into the camera.

"Jamie, you and Thomas head left while Morgan and I go right," Sarah said off-camera.

"This is Morgan's camera," Steve said as he tapped the hologram and switched to Jamie's perspective.

YN could see Sarah and Morgan with their heads bent together discussing strategy and for a moment it was like they were little girls again playing superheroes with Nick Fury. She knew the former Director would be proud to see them continuing his vision, and she wished he were there to see it with her and Steve.

"Do they know we're watching?" YN asked when Jamie let out a stream of curses just as a team of enemy agents rounded the corner.

"They should," Steve said with a frown. "I don't know where he picked up that kind of language."

"Probably from his father," YN said in a chiding tone as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Kids hear everything—especially the stuff you don't want them to."

"They look like they're holding their own," Steve mused aloud as Jamie and Thomas took out the agents with ease.

"How are Sarah and Morgan doing?" YN asked as she gestured for him to switch the view again.

He tapped the hologram and the image of Captain America filled the screen. Sarah's hair was in a braid down her back, but if it weren't for that tell-tale sign, YN wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between her and her dad. Steve had trained her to use the shield from the time she was ten, so she was just as adept as her father at making it defy the laws of physics.

"Morgan looks good," Steve commented as he got flashbacks of the many battles he and Tony had fought together.

"She's got her father's flair for dramatics," YN observed as Morgan did a front somersault in mid-air and used the repulsors on her boots to take out a section of wall to crush the agents pouring out of the door.

"You want to see how the others are doing?" Steve asked.

YN shook her head. "No, let's just focus on our kids. I know that sounds horrible. . ."

"Everyone's watching their own kids right now," Steve said with a chuckle. "I know Pepper is glued to Morgan's feed just like us, and Laura is always a nervous wreck when her three are out in the field."

They watched for a few more minutes in silence as their kids handled the situation with ease. YN had known there was nothing to worry about, but it was still nerve-wracking to watch her kids charge head first into the face of danger.

When the battle was over and the mission was complete, YN finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Please tell me this is going to get easier?"

"It won't," Steve admitted honestly. "And there'll be times when they come home battered and bruised, but this is what they signed up for."

YN closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. "I guess if I didn't want super-powered kids, I shouldn't have married Captain America, right?" She opened her eyes and looked over at Steve. "I could use something a little stronger than coffee, though. What about you?"

"Thor sent me some Asgardian mead as a retirement gift. We could always go home and crack that open."

She picked up the holographic device and slipped it into her bag before rising from her seat. "I'll stick to wine—you're going to need the mead."

"When do we go on our second honeymoon, again?"

"Not soon enough," YN said with a groan. "Not soon enough."

** _~ The End ~_ **

______________________

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 337 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! I love when stories come full circle. We started out in this coffee shop and now this is where we've ended. . .although for the kids, this story is far from over. Do you think their team will be better than their parents'? They've grown up together, so their bonds run a little deeper, so I think they'll be just fine. And hopefully their parents can relax and enjoy the retirement I chose to give them since the MCU decided not to let some of them have that luxury. . . I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider rebloggin!_


End file.
